Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Flora and fauna

Floribunda. Many-flowering.

I think that describes my wardrobe pretty well.

Floral prints are an oft-recurring theme.

See?
(And that's not all of them by any means...)

More than stripes, polka dots or checks, abstract, geometric or paisley prints, florals take pride of place. I love them. Small and ditsy, big and blowsy. Stylised, splashy, or subtle, in any colour combination.

I am a floral tart.

This week's selection features chrysanthemums and tulips; whatever the weather, sunshine or dull fog, a floral print will brighten my day.

The colour palette is similar in both of these outfits, and while I don't think of myself as drawn to soft heathery shades, I think the cape and faded denim work rather well against the prints and my hair.

Get me, being analytical.

The garden has its share of pretty Spring blooms too.

I helped out on a school trip yesterday, taking seventy 5-6 years olds round the Yorkshire Wildlife Park at Doncaster.

It was a brilliant day; the sun shone, the lions yawned, the tigers snoozed, the giraffes were racing each other, the zebras had a bit of a set-to, the meerkats and marmosets were perky, the capybara looked disdainful, the Amur leopard ignored everyone, and the lemurs made a lot of noise.

And the zookeeper is very fond of rum...

The kids were great too.

Thank you for all your very sweet comments about my family and in particular my mother.

I will read some out to her over the phone (she doesn't do the internet). She'll be astonished.

She has spent a lifetime believing that she isn't attractive, feeling shy and self-conscious, disliking having her photo taken or being the centre of attention. I was much the same, for far too many years, but life is so much better when you embrace it and challenge those fears.

If I have learned anything from experience (and from all those anxiety management courses I used to facilitate, back in the day), it's this.

By looking upwards and outwards, we focus less on ourselves and how we feel. And if we are less wrapped up in our own anxious thoughts and feelings (or we challenge them) and more engaged with the world around us, we are less self-conscious.

The flora and fauna don't judge anyone; and if people do, well, that's their problem, not yours.

Well done you. I've given up volunteering on school trips as they always induce stress headaches. I like having one child, not 32. Your blue cape is beautiful and your boots go with everything. Lets make the most of our boots while the weather is still chilly enough. Don't they say we're headed for a scorcher soon? xxxx

Too blinking right! Embrace and life and concentrate on having fun. They only people who care whether we look daft or make fools of ourselves are ourselves.I like the sound of that zoo keeper. Can we go back and snaffle a few of the animals? I have a fondness for capybara after the ones who used to snuffle round the hotel grounds when we were in Brazil.You have got some wonderful florals stashed in your collection. Love that wild tulip print, it works wonderfully well with the cape and bad ass boots.It has been bastard freezing today. I reckon those bloggers in ballet flats and skinny jeans are all on drugs.Love you! xxxxxxxx

Floral art from a floral tart - love the collage, very tonal. The school trip sounds like a good un, we have millions of school kids on trips at work. i have been answering lots of barnyard based enquiries. 'What are those lumps on the back of the pig Miss?' 'Those are his testicles' I say in a loud clear voice...

I adore these floral prints - I'm always drawn to them for home decor as well as dresses. "The capybara looked disdainful" - don't they always? Hooray for moving past our fears and insecurities. The world is so full of a number of things, as R.L. Stevenson said. xox

I've never suffered from anxiety, though I've been told I do a good job inducing it in others. I just can't bring myself to care what strangers think of me. Life's short, ya know?

That's a great collection of florals. I do think they are different enough to stand out from each other. Tulip prints are difficult to find-yours is beautiful. I was just thinking the way you laid them out, it looks like the world's best-ever quilt. Not that I'm suggesting you take scissors to your dresses (heaven forbid!) just that they look so nice arranged that way.

Floral tarts of the world UNITE!!!Huzzah!You are so splendid in your flora, and those funky ass boots!The chrysanthemums outfit is perfectly casual and so approachable, and the tulips one is such wonderful Winter dressing inspiration for me!!!The zoo keeper may well be someone I;d hang out with!! I haven't been to a zoo in years...like a pet shop, I avoid them, as I get too emotional over the animals and want to take them all home! Dammit!Nice bit of advice you end up with...I am taking that on for today, thank you very much!Loving YOU! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Flower power! Love your floral montage~ you have some really perky prints. And here we go with your typically beautiful English garden, I love these! What in the world is that burgundy flower? Your tulip dress with cape is pretty stinking cute Curtise and especially your faint lil smirk.

I'm laughing at the zoo keeper and the bit about rum, why does that not surprise me? The day at the zoo sounds like an adventure I'd take in a minute.

Thanks for the reminder to look up and out. I need to hear this now. I'm so in the thick of my Dad's end of life I can barely lift my head. This is the hardest part. I just want to curl up in a ball on my bed and instead I force myself to go for a walk. The cherry trees here are in full bloom. They look like cotton candy clouds. Look up look out.I love ya~xxoo

I do so love your outfit posts. I found it funny that your tulip print screamed 80s to me, I didn't like it so much then (possibly because my mother did) but I would rather like it in a wrap dress now ;)

Good on you for going on the school excursions. I always came home totally exhausted with new admiration for teachers, confirming that they are the true heroes and I could NEVER be a teacher.

Yo Floral Tart, what stonking fritillaries you have there. You obviously know your stuff when it comes to flowers so it makes sense you'd choose to wear them too. It's been quite warm down South, no need for a coat in these parts, but you look a picture in yours. Cripes...rum and wild animals doesn't sound a terribly sensible combination although quite understandable if seventy schoolkids descend on a daily basis. xxxxxxxx

Yo Floral Tart, what stonking fritillaries you have there. You obviously know your stuff when it comes to flowers so it makes sense you'd choose to wear them too. It's been quite warm down South, no need for a coat in these parts, but you look a picture in yours. Cripes...rum and wild animals doesn't sound a terribly sensible combination although quite understandable if seventy schoolkids descend on a daily basis. xxxxxxxx

I was never so self-conscious as I was when I wore big bags of black and grey nothingness. You are absolutely right about being outward looking. Your florals are blooming. YOU are blooming. Such a perfect match. It looks like you painted that tulip-like flower in your garden, bottom right. Stunning.

It IS a light and tumble journey, isn't it? Whenever I see one of your posts pop up the Mary Poppins movie song starts playing, "Oh it's a jolly holiday with Curtise. Curtise makes the sun shine bright." Sorry it's not a rock song but it really fits. :-) Oh oh oh. I know....."she comes in colors everywhere. She's like a rainbow." There you go!

Your bouquet of floral prints is simply stunning. They look so very good on you and they are perfect for Spring and Summer when one is so glad to see flowers emerge from their Winter hibernation.

The heather shades do indeed look particularly attractive and work well with the boots and wide belt. You have such an artistic eye for colour combinations and you wear them well.

Yes, it is so important to look the world straight in the eye and believe in oneself. Too many people hide away for fear of rejection and, yet, often when one stands tall it is amazing how one can connect with others and have the most amazing adventures.

You are a true marvel! :)I love this glorious collage of flowers - on your dresses and in your garden! And the story of the animals and the zookeeper. (And I absolutely understand what it means to take 70 kids out on a field trip, been there done that - fun stuff though.) I like the thought of your Mum listening to our comments. I love it how our "real" life connects with our internet life and vice versa. It makes sense to me on a deep level. You look beautiful in your floral dresses and this new to me cape. And the denim jacket fits you so perfectly!

Floribunda! blooming great word! your wardrobe is florabundant! you do floral gorgeously and I adore both outfits, similar hues but different looks, the cape is delicious! a rum soaked zookeeper sounds hilarious, does he lock things? I wonder whether he hangs out with the animals in a rum haze, ha! 70 kids on a school trip, feck! when I worked with teenagers it used to be quite a nerve wracking time taking them out and they were more 'sensible'!and yes to challenging anxious thoughts! difficult but doable!

Love the floral dresses! The tweed with the tulips is so cool. Why can I never find great stuff at my secondhand shops? Zoos are such fun! Although I'd be the one drinking rum with that many little ones around. Have a lovely day!

It is hard to keep "looking out" when you're caught up in your own misery, but it's excellent advice, and I've always found if I'm in a bad place emotionally, it helps to focus on helping someone else - distraction is the best medicine.

Hello, My Florabunda Beauty! Yes you are, and they suit you perfectly. Such a treat to see you blooming in spring!Just checking in because I'm awfully behind in everything! I'll work my way backwards here, because I hate to miss anything!

Why am I always thinking that I want to mug you and steal your clothes? I love florals too and I drool over your collection. Sorry about getting them wet. I am crazy about your wallis dress with the purples and the purple belt. Purple being my favourite colour and florals being a favourite too, well I guess that's why I covet your dress. Your tiny waist looks so lovely in it too! I so enjoy your photos of the garden flowers, with a sort of bitter sweet feeling, I suppose. Hugs to you, my flower fairy friend, for bringing so much floral to my day!

I just came over from next door at Vix's (Freckleface says we should be living in the same street with Helga), still recovering from her fab yellow floral frock and cape. Now my eyes and brain are exploding with joy over your floral "patches" in the first pic! All your frocks are glorious, especially with the gorgeous finds you pair them with - so joyously unexpected ( I LOVE surprises!) That amazing cape, your beret, the boots! Your Mum will be squirming with both embarrassment and happiness at the lovely comments about her birthday pics. You did something lovely for others by going to the wildlife park with the excited pack of littlies, I'm not surprised the keeper likes a drop or two of rum! Focussing on others certainly helps to take the heat off our own problems, such good advice Curtise and a timely reminder for me. xxxxxx

Snap! I'm one o' them an' all! Floral tarts of the world, unite and take over! You can't beat a good floral. Both your outfits are lovely for Spring, but I'm going to award first prize to the tulips, because I love your silhouette in that capelet. You are so wonderful to give your time so freely to the school, but actually, it sounds like you get a lot out of it too. I can just picture you with all those bright chatty little girls! Lovely. Wise words there Ms Monk! It really is a good life lesson, stop getting bogged down in the mire and look out. Not only do you feel less self conscious, but also less self-absorbed, which is always a good thing. Xxxxxxxxx

Florabunda to you, too!I agree...flowers are the way to go a huge percent of the time...and you ROCK IT!!! The last dress is my favorite ...it fits you beautifully and the colors are sublime! I love your attitude and spunk!

Hang on...why have I missed this? Slap me in the gob and call me slack.Floribunda. I love that word. like moribund, but more cheery...and flowery. You are a floral tart.The older I get the more flowery I've become. I've got some cracking floral frockage from Etsy recently that my 14 year old self would have vomited on.And how cheery is a garden waking up in spring? In fact in a bit,I'll be off with a cuppa to offer the tulips some encouragement to get up...not the menfolk, the real tulips. God you can tell I've got a day off can't you?Life is too short to hide ones blooms. Be like the flowers...blossom and show the world how gorgeous we are I say!See you soon.Loves ya flowery bits.xxxxxx

Floral tarts of the world unite! I can never go past a good floral, and I just love what you have done with yours. That cape is amazingly fabulous. I'm not sure if I have the stamina and fortitude to cope with all those kids on a school excursion, so hats off to you! XXX

I love your cape, it's gorgeous! The spring flowers in your garden are so beautiful. I love looking out of the kitchen window while washing up as I can see oodles of flowers the neighbours have planted and the trees have all their new leaves, it's so lovely.Regarding anxiety, I get terribly anxious socially, it's a horrible cross to bear.I love all your florals, they're so pretty, the poppies really popped which must mean I need some poppies in my wardrobe xxx

i have always loved tarts myself and floral ones are without doubt the very very best! your mum is beautiful as are you and you are so very right when we look inside we can get all screwy and unsure the more we focus out the better! parenting tilly is like that if i focus on my challenges it all seems a bit much but when i focus on how i can help others suddenly the world feels fine and all is manageable! xxxxxx